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Tween Reads: Books and Programs! June 2018
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Coming Soon to Messenger Library! |
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| Rebound by Kwame AlexanderWhat it's about: It's the summer of 1988, and 12-year-old Charlie Bell is grieving the sudden death of his dad while visiting with his tough-love grandparents and getting schooled on the basketball court by his cousin Roxie.
Why you might like it: Comics-style illustrations and page-turning poetry give Rebound all the joyful intensity of a well-played pick-up game.
Series alert: You don't need to have read The Crossover to enjoy this prequel. |
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| They Lost Their Heads! What Happened to Washington's Teeth, Einstein's Brain... by Carlyn BecciaWhat it is: a snarky, cheerfully creepy collection of true stories about the body parts of historical figures.
Did you know? One of Elvis Presley's warts is now considered memorabilia; Thomas Edison's last breath was saved in a vial and given to Henry Ford; and pieces of Galileo, Albert Einstein, and Mata Hari were stolen after their deaths.
Try this next: Georgia Bragg's How They Croaked, for further outlandish facts about the famous dead. |
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| Hurricane Child by Kheryn CallenderStarring: Caroline, an unlucky 12-year-old who's abandoned by her mother, bullied at school, and stalked by the spirit of a woman in black.
What happens: Caroline finds her first friend (and first crush) in new classmate Kalinda, who joins Caroline's search for answers about her mother, as well as the truth about the spirit who stalks her.
Read it for: memorable characters and a vivid, magic-tinged Virgin Islands setting. |
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| Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker RhodesWhat it's about: One minute, 12-year-old Jerome is messing around with his friend's toy gun; the next, he's been shot by a white police officer, and he joins the ghosts of Emmett Till and other black boys who lost their lives to racist violence -- and who now spend their afterlives seeking justice and healing.
Why you should read it: Painful, poetic, and powerful, Ghost Boys is sure to spark emotions and start conversations. |
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| I Am Drums by Mike GrossoStarring: Sam (not Samantha), a sixth-grader with drumbeats in her soul.
What happens: Since her parents don't understand her drumming ambitions (and can't afford a drum kit anyway), Sam starts a secret lawn-mowing business and begins paying for drum lessons on the sly.
You might also like: Celia C. Pérez's The First Rule of Punk, which also stars a middle school musician who defies her family to pursue her passion. |
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| Blackbird Fly by Erin Entrada KellyWhat it's about: As the only Filipina in her small-town Louisiana school, Apple is no stranger to bullying, but after she's ranked third-ugliest in class, even her friends abandon her. Now, music is her only comfort, and if she had a guitar of her own, she could play the Beatles songs she loves so much.
Who it's for: Anyone who's ever felt like an outsider will root for Apple as she wades through cruelty and embarrassment in search of her true gifts. |
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| Legends, Icons, & Rebels: Music That Changed the World by Robbie RobertsonWhat it is: 27 mini-biographies of boundary-busting musicians from the 1920s through the 1960s.
What's inside: tributes to musical game-changers such as Chuck Berry, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash, and James Brown, plus a lovingly crafted playlist of their iconic songs.
Is it for you? Whether you're just browsing or looking for a deep dive, the eye-catching graphics and intriguing profiles in Legends, Icons & Rebels are hard to resist. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 10-13! |
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Upcoming Tween Events at Messenger Library
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Plant! Grow! Create! for Teens
Wednesday, June 6, 6:30 pm
Tinker Youth Program Room
Grades 6-12. Join us for an opportunity to plant, grow and create! We'll be getting our hands in the soil, so be sure to dress for a mess. Generously sponsored by the North Aurora Garden Club. Registration required.
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Summer BBQ Cupcake Decorating
Thursday, June 14, 3:00 pm
Main Meeting Room
Gr. 5-12. Learn how to decorate cupcakes from a professional cake decorator! Decorate two summer BBQ themed cupcakes and then enjoy your own sweet creation. Registration required.
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Teen Hangout Guitar Hero
Wednesday, June 27, 6:30 pm
Main Meeting Room
Grades 6-12. Itching to rock out? Feeling the need to wail on a guitar? Come play Guitar Hero at the Library! Bring your friends and we will see who the biggest rock star is. Registration required.
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Bleach Tie-Dye
Saturday, June 16, 10:00 am
Tinker Youth Program Room
All ages. Join us for some messy fun! You bring a dark-colored cotton shirt, we'll provide the rubber bands and bleach for your beautiful creations! Dress to get messy. Please register every person attending.
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Alcohol Ink Art (Gr. 1-5)
Tuesday, June 19, 2:00 pm
Tinker Youth Program Room
Come learn the basics of using alcohol ink to create an amazing work of abstract art. Registration required.
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Messy Art: Alcohol Ink (Gr. 6-12)
Tuesday, June 19, 3:30 pm
Tinker Youth Program Room
Grades 6-12. Come and learn the basics of using alcohol ink and create an amazing work of abstract art. Registration required.
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Just Dance: Neon Party!
Tuesday, June 26, 7:00 pm
Main Meeting Room
Grades 3-8. Get ready to get your glow on! We'll be getting out the blacklights, turning up the music and bringing out the Wii U to see your best Just Dance moves. Wear your best neon gear and get ready to dance at the library! Registration required.
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Giant Game Day
Friday, June 29, 10:00 am
Main Meeting Room
All ages. Bring the family out for an awesome afternoon of giant boards games! We have Giant Jenga, Giant Twister, and Giant Bananagrams, and more! Register if you want a reminder email or text.
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